Dykes introduced at SMU, will coach in Frisco Bowl

Nov 12, 2016; Pullman, WA, USA; California Golden Bears head coach Sonny Dykes looks on against the Washington State Cougars during the first half at Martin Stadium. Photo Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Sonny Dykes was introduced as SMU’s new football head coach Tuesday, and he soon will be on the sideline.

Dykes, who replaces Chad Morris, who left after three seasons to become the head coach at Arkansas, will coach the Mustangs when they play in the Frisco Bowl on Dec. 20 in Frisco, Texas.

“Chad Morris and his staff have done a good job of improving SMU football every year,” Dykes said.

“What we want to do is continue to build off the success and blueprint that Chad started. The most important thing we can do is get off to a good start by winning a bowl game a week from Wednesday. It is going to be a crazy nine days.

“I have to hire a football staff. Try to get three or four coaches in here with some current staff members and go win a football game.”

Dykes will be coaching against the school that that gave him his first college head coaching job — Louisiana Tech. Dykes went 22-15 with the Bulldogs from 2010-12 before going 19-30 in four seasons at Cal, which fired him in January.

Dykes was an offensive analyst at TCU this season.

Dykes said being at SMU feels like “coming home.” He is the son of former Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes (1986-99) and has had multiple coaching stops in the state. He said he grew up a fan of SMU’s “Pony Express” in the early 1980s and once asked his dad to take him to the 1982 SMU-Texas Tech football game for his 13th birthday.

Dykes is known for his spread passing attack, as he learned the Air Raid system under Hal Mumme at Kentucky and Mike Leach at Texas Tech. One of his pupils at Cal was Jared Goff, who was the first pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

“We’ve always been able to score points and move the football,” Dykes said. “I don’t think anything is going to change in that regard.”